Mavericks set firm demands for rumored Anthony Davis trade

Anthony Davis has been in some serious trade rumors over the last few weeks, and the Dallas Mavericks' ideal package was just revealed by Sam Amick of The Athletic. According to Amick, the Mavericks are "pushing for young prospects (subscription required) (and expiring contracts) in talks relating to Davis."

Young players and expiring deals seem to be at the top of the Mavericks' wish list, and the trade talks are only poised to pick up as the trade deadline approaches.

This has been expected for weeks, as creating cap space by acquiring some expiring contracts is essential for Dallas to begin the Cooper Flagg era on the right note. Anthony Davis is owed $175 million over the next three years, and getting out of this business and starting fresh would be smart on Dallas' end.

Here's what the Mavericks want in any Anthony Davis trade

He has proven to be unreliable due to his constant injuries, and the Mavericks can't afford to rely upon him as one of their franchise cornerstones if he can't stay on the floor. Davis has only played in 25 regular-season games since being acquired by Dallas last February in exchange for Luka Doncic, and this is nowhere near good enough.

The fact that the Mavericks are hunting expiring deals in a trade that involves the player they landed for Doncic is disappointing, but needed at this point. Dallas has to accept that they were wrong, and getting as much money off their books ahead of free agency would be a good start.

On top of their hunt for expiring contracts, the Mavericks also want some young players. This could end up being one of the most important parts of the deal, and Dallas can't afford to mess this up.

Any Anthony Davis trade that they make needs to be with the future at the front of their minds. Nico Harrison's former two-to-three-year championship window is long gone. This is Cooper Flagg's team, and they need to start acting like it.

Dallas has already made it clear that they don't want to trade Kyrie Irving (despite shopping other veteran players on the trade market), and he will be a key element of their rebuild around Flagg. Even though Irving hasn't played yet this season, the Mavericks want him to be the point guard of the future alongside Flagg.

He has been tremendous ever since he was traded to Dallas in 2023, and it seems like his Mavericks journey is far from over. Whoever the Mavericks trade for will have the chance to learn from Irving, as his mentor skills are second to none. He has been a crucial help in Brandon Williams' growth over the last few years, and any young player that they trade for will have a free pass to the Kyrie Irving school.

The Mavericks were linked to Zaccharie Risacher right as the Hawks-Mavs rumors began to heat up, and he may be the perfect fit in Dallas if they do send Davis to Atlanta. He'd have the chance to grow alongside Flagg as two of the wings of the future, and the Mavericks should buy low here if they have the chance.

While the Mavericks are prioritizing youngsters, they also must make sure that they get some first-round draft capital in exchange for Davis as well. Expiring contracts and young players isn't enough for Davis, and they must look to add some draft picks to their arsenal.

Dallas' asks for a Davis trade are clear, and a combination of draft picks, young players, and expiring contracts would put the Mavericks in the perfect spot to move on from Davis while simultaneously improving their odds of becoming contenders in the near future.